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I am using the gators A30,I would imagine that the norax x30 should give a similar finish but I can't confirm that.I am going from a gator a30 to a norax 16x then norax 5x.Some hand sanding with 2k norton paper then I am done.If I buggered it a little I might have to drop to 1k but that is some easy sanding at that point.

Ok non knife maker input here, but I have polished a lot of stuff so maybe I can help?

I always here makers ( Butch for one) refer to a 800 belt finish. I'm guessing this means just that, 800 belt no hand sanding? So I would think 800 you should be able to do by belt?

Now for paper, start one step back from the last belt (600). I read Del post once about using wd40 on a stack of newspaper, I tried it and liked it. I stepped up to a firm rubber mat/pad.
Side note: I don't know what this rubber stuff is or what it's meantime for but it's red, about 1/4" thick. Looks like the same stuff them rubber sanding blocks are made from? I bought the pad from a leather craft shop. Its used to protect the edges of punching tools as you hammer threw leather. it's not cheep, but my thinking is that its made for other things and the leather shops just mark it up a lot? so if anyone knows what this stuff is and a place to get it cheep I'd love to know.

Any way I also tried honing/ cutting oil and it works better then wd40. I move back and forth then step up a grade (800) I do a bunch of swirly moves and then go back down to 600 grit and do more swirly moves. Now back up to 800 for the back and forth movement. I find that by stepping back each time that it gets the job done faster. I think it has more to do with just being able to see the left over scratches from the grit befor more easily? Any way I do this all the way up to at lest 2000 grit paper. I guess you would have to go to micro mesh to get more of a polish, but a machine buffer comes to mind?

Find them cheaper then trugrit . I like the klingspor more then the 3M and its cheaper so thats a plus. That sad i like Hermes abrasives (belts I have used) does anyone know if they ( Hermes) makes sheets or roles and who sales them?

Ok non knife maker input here, but I have polished a lot of stuff so maybe I can help?

I always here makers ( Butch for one) refer to a 800 belt finish. I'm guessing this means just that, 800 belt no hand sanding? So I would think 800 you should be able to do by belt?

Now for paper, start one step back from the last belt (600). I read Del post once about using wd40 on a stack of newspaper, I tried it and liked it. I stepped up to a firm rubber mat/pad.
Side note: I don't know what this rubber stuff is or what it's meantime for but it's red, about 1/4" thick. Looks like the same stuff them rubber sanding blocks are made from? I bought the pad from a leather craft shop. Its used to protect the edges of punching tools as you hammer threw leather. it's not cheep, but my thinking is that its made for other things and the leather shops just mark it up a lot? so if anyone knows what this stuff is and a place to get it cheep I'd love to know.

Any way I also tried honing/ cutting oil and it works better then wd40. I move back and forth then step up a grade (800) I do a bunch of swirly moves and then go back down to 600 grit and do more swirly moves. Now back up to 800 for the back and forth movement. I find that by stepping back each time that it gets the job done faster. I think it has more to do with just being able to see the left over scratches from the grit befor more easily? Any way I do this all the way up to at lest 2000 grit paper. I guess you would have to go to micro mesh to get more of a polish, but a machine buffer comes to mind?

Find them cheaper then trugrit . I like the klingspor more then the 3M and its cheaper so thats a plus. That sad i like Hermes abrasives (belts I have used) does anyone know if they ( Hermes) makes sheets or roles and who sales them?

Do you need cutting oil, or any kind of oil would do? I have a good amount of way and spindle oil. Does anybody use Windex? I don't plan to go past 600 for a nice satin finish. I find over-polished knives are easy to scratch and have to be babied - I would rather people used my knives hard.

I haven't used Klingspor, but should give them a try. I normally get 3M Emperial from Supergrid for handles. Seems to work reasonably well for hand rubbing.

M

PS: just looked up that way oil can be used as a cutting oil. Will git it a try. I used Windex up to now.

"All beauty that has no foundation in use, soon grows distasteful and needs continuous replacement with something new." The Shakers' saying.